


Chances Are

by LindsayIsTheCraic



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Canonical Character Death, F/M, Happier one shot gets happier finally !, I PROMISE !!!, chances are by bob seger au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:26:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28391634
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LindsayIsTheCraic/pseuds/LindsayIsTheCraic
Summary: It’s been 10 years since the night Marcus finally admitted Abby was happier without him; it’s been 10 years since the second biggest mistake of his life. Looking back at that night in the bar, Marcus was ashamed of the way he acted, and he wishes he had the chance to take it back. He wishes he had the chance to show Abby the man he had become since then. He wishes he had the chance to do what he wanted to do all those years ago and tell her about the solution. Chances are, he may finally get to.**Highly requested follow up to my 'Happier' one shot**
Relationships: Abby Griffin & Marcus Kane, Abby Griffin/Marcus Kane, Minor Abby Griffin & Jake Griffin
Comments: 10
Kudos: 17





	Chances Are

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Foxy100](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foxy100/gifts).



> Alright alright alright....y'all FINALLY bullied me enough into writing a follow up to 'Happier' !!!! The biggest influence is who this is dedicated to ;) Aha, but in reality, this was a very nice fic to write as a follow up.
> 
> I hope you enjoy!!! I hope it makes you all a little bit happier ;)
> 
> All the love,  
> Lindsay :)
> 
> PS - Check the end note for a surprise collaboration with mysticdragonstar for this fic!!

10 years is a long time—a lot can happen.

People change. Some become unrecognizable while some better themselves. Towns change. Some businesses flourish and expand while others fail and close their doors forever. Some people leave town to put their past behind them, but Marcus can’t find it in himself to leave, no matter how much pain this town has caused him.

The embarrassment he made of himself 10 years ago with an arrest on his record for a bar fight made him want to hide in shame. The taunt of the neon-flashing lights of the bar he used to call a second home were a daily reminder of how he fucked up. But both were never enough for him to pack his belongings and leave.

One spot always kept him here.

The one spot first brought him joy many years ago. It signaled a new start in his life, a promise for a happy ending. Over time, it turned out to be a mirage of false hope that faded and revealed the true ugliness underneath—that specific happiness didn’t belong to him. He grew to resent that place; it became a reminder of what could have been. Somehow, he always ended up at it, even after the night he committed the second biggest mistake of his life.

At that point in time, it became a spot he used for motivation. He understood he could never have the mirage of happiness the spot tempted him with, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t build his own real happiness over it. It would never look like the original one he saw, no matter how much he wanted to replicate it. He had his chance at that happiness, but he lost it. He finally accepted that. Now, he had chance at a different version, and he wasn’t going to fuck it up this time.

The spot he proposed to Abby at became a reminder he lost out once, and if he didn’t change, he would lose his second chance.

The park hadn’t changed much since the proposal, except new playground equipment had been built in for the local kids, as well as benches and tables for families to enjoy the view of the waterfall. Some new wildlife had moved in, and Marcus got his entertainment of the day watching kids being chased by geese after provoking them.

Looking down to the photograph in his hand, he registered the new tree that had been planted by the waterfall would have been right behind Abby in that moment in time. Running his thumb over her figure, a small smile appeared on his lips, until his finger traced over a 10-year old blood stain. His smile fell flat, the second biggest mistake of his life flashing in his mind.

_The rift between the two was clearly still present. They stared each other down for a few more moments of silence, until Marcus asked, “What do you want?”_

_Abby narrowed her eyes at him before sliding into the seat next to him. He groaned, reaching for his mixer, refilling his glass. Setting it down, he offered her the drink. She shook her head while saying, “I can’t.”_

_“You can’t?” He seemed confused. Did she not just down a shot earlier? He asked, his personality slipping through, “The doctor can’t handle her liquor anymore?”_

_Her lip twitched, threatening to smile. He gripped his glass tighter, slapping himself mentally for wishing for it rise. Something, just give him something to show you don’t completely hate him._

_“No,” was all she said._

_No explanation? It was his turn to narrow his eyes at her, trying to figure her out. She kept the same static face, not leaking a hint. That was until he caught a glint in the bar light he didn’t see before._

_Looking down, he saw a new ring on the finger where he had given her one years ago. All his negative emotions over the year came crashing down tenfold, suffocating him._

_He knew it would happen, but not so quickly. Sure, it’s been a year, but it felt like yesterday every day to him. He hadn’t even thought of moving on yet._

_“Congrats,” he spit out, “I’ll drink to that,” downing his drink. The burn didn’t help this time. He licked his lips, pouring the last of his mixer. He added, “That doesn’t tell me why you can’t drink to it.”_

_“There’s something else,” she told him. He was confused at her words as he lifted the last drink to his lips. “Well,” she added, “more like someone else.”_

_Marcus spit out the drink had just taken. He coughed, the alcohol burning his throat. What?_

_He stared at her wide-eyed, the news still settling. He pointed at her and then where Jake sat. He said, “But you took a shot.”_

_“It was sprite,” she explained. Sprite? Who the hell came to the bar to take shots of Sprite?_

_He was still dumbfounded as he stared at her. He couldn’t believe his ears. Thinking it couldn’t happen again, his whole world began to crumble beneath him. He asked, breathless, “You’re pregnant?”_

_She smiled a bit and he felt like shit knowing he wasn’t the one behind it. She said, just as breathless but for a different reason, “Yes.”_

It was news he wanted to hear from her to him about _their_ child, not someone else’s. Having the bomb of not only marriage, but a child too, dropped on him after he was too deep in alcohol was asking for a negative reaction. Marcus liked to think he could’ve controlled himself from acting out if he didn’t have that much to drink; Marcus also knew the truth. His whole world came crashing down at that moment, and he had nothing to lose.

_Marcus didn’t know what made him snap. Was it the anger at himself he had built up for a year? Was it the jealousy he felt towards Jake? Was it the regret he felt for lying all that time ago? Or maybe it was all the alcohol._

_He decided it was a mixture of all four when the first punch landed across Jake’s cheek._

_Abby jumped back in surprise as Jake stumbled back. Tears sprung from Marcus’ eyes as the emotions he bottled up for a year came pouring out. The first punch back from Jake, landing on Marcus’ jaw, shattered him wide open._

_Marcus fell against the bar, moving his head in time to avoid another punch. He felt the blood seeping through his beard and into his mouth from the first punch. His world was already swirling. He had no business picking a fight he knew he couldn’t win._

Stupid, stupid, **_stupid_**.

He instigated a fight he had no right picking, especially against a man who had no control over the situation. It was Marcus’ fault, everything concerning that situation was. He, just like when he was married to Abby, didn’t want to face the truth. He couldn’t accept his wrong doing that led to that situation and acted out when the outcome wasn’t favorable to him.

After spending that night in his cell, he immediately felt like an idiot the next day. Not knowing how to deal with his actions, he wandered aimlessly and somehow found his way to this exact spot—the proposal area. No matter what, he always found himself being placed right back where Abby would be. He wasn’t sure if it was a blessing or not, but he took it as a sign that night.

He had made mistakes, but he was being given a second chance. He knew what he had to do to change for the better and take advantage of the second chance—it was there to save him before, and even though he ignored it then, it still was there now. He fucked up majorly; he regretted that night ever since, yet somehow, there was still hope. Marcus found it cliché really, since Abby was the one to always tell him, “Hope is everything.”

Her motto rang through his memory, voice vibrant with a fire that brought a smile to his lips. He lifted the picture higher in the air, letting the late evening’s setting sun shine across it. There, in the light, the picture looked as magical as he felt back in that moment.

“You still carry that around with you?”

His breath caught in his throat. That voice…he hadn’t heard it in years.

Turning his head to the right, sure enough, he saw the woman from the photograph standing in that exact same spot she did many years ago.

Like the spot, she hadn’t changed much either except some spotty gray hairs loose from her ponytail from the stress of the past few years. Something new with Abby that the picture didn’t have was the small child by her side. The girl was nine year olds, had her blonde hair braided like Abby used to wear in high school, and was looking around the park for someone. Clarke, Abby and Jake’s child, found who she was looking for, proceeded to say goodbye to her mother, and ran off to another small child.

Marcus watched after her, the feeling of resentment beginning to rise. Immediately, he squashed it down. He knew better than to behave that like, and he knew better than to feel that way. It had been 10 years since the news, but the sting of that night would always hold a dark spot in his memory, no matter many times he had told himself he’s grown past it. And truly, he has. He grew to be happy rather than angry at the fact Abby got the family she always wanted without him. It was just that disappointment he felt, knowing he failed to give it to her, that would always be there, even if hidden deep, deep down inside.

Especially with the events five years ago, Marcus made himself truly do a reality check. Those negative feelings then never benefitted him. They turned him into someone he didn’t recognize, someone he wasn’t proud of. He had made progress over the first five years since that bar fight, learning how to get over his resentment and turn it into a positive feeling. People that relied on him now needed the leader and hopeful person he was before that mess of a year. Gluing the pieces of his broken life together took time, and even though the cracks would always be there, he became whole again.

He got put to the test just five years after the whole bar scene when he learned about Jake’s death.

_Marcus wasn’t sure why he felt the need to come to this spot. Even though his resentment for the proposal area had long faded away, he felt unwelcome most of the time he came. Today, however, when he woke up, he felt the urge to be here, and for once he didn’t feel as if he was invading on old territory._

_Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the same proposal picture he’s kept with him all these years. Looking at it and around him, nothing much had changed. The biggest addition were the tables and benches by the waterfall, where some families sat now and fed the ducks. One poor boy mistook a goose for a duck and got chased. Other changes were being made, like the playground that was in construction at the moment. Marcus noticed that the most because the sand from the new sandboxes somehow always ended up in his shoes when he walked through on the nature trail._

_Looking at the picture more, he tried to understand why he felt the need to be here today. He hadn’t heard from Abby since that night in the bar, and after the mess he had made of himself, he was okay with that. It hurt, dead silence from her for five years, but after the stunt he pulled, he wasn’t sure how he’d show his face to her ever again. He—_

_Marcus’ ringtone suddenly blared from his coat pocket, and his mood immediately turned sour. He had dealt with a scammer all day, one that wouldn’t stop bombarding his phone will call and texts. No matter how many numbers he blocked, the scammer always found a new way to contact him._

_Not looking at the number as he pulled his phone out, he swiped to answer, and replied with a harsh tone, “What do you want **now?** ”_

_There was silence on the other end. Weird. The scammer always replied with the same, happy tone no matter how he answered the phone. Then, there was small, short, double sniffle and all of Marcus’ anger drained away as dread filled him up. As generic as a sniffle could be, he spent many nights of his dying marriage hearing that specific small, short, double sniffle next to him in bed. Taking his phone from his ear, he felt his heart drop when he saw it was Abby that had called him._

_Embarrassment turned his cheeks red and made him pull at his hair. He put the phone back to his ear and started apologizing, “Abby, I am **so** sorry. I’ve been bombarded by a scammer all day, so I thought it was him and didn’t bother to check the caller ID. God **damn** , that was so stupid, I am so sorry.”_

_When she didn’t answer, he wanted to hit his head against one of the poles of the new playground he was standing by. Stupid, stupid, **stupid.** Will he fuck up every time he has a chance to talk with her?_

_While he internally freaked out, he heard the same sniffle again. It turned some of his internal turmoil into confusion. Again, he registered it as the same one he heard years ago beside him every day after the biggest mistake of his life. Was she crying? Why? If so, what caused her to be this upset that she called him of all people?_

_He bit his bottom lip slightly, waiting to see if she’d talk. When she still didn’t respond, his dread began to come back. He found it in himself to finally ask, “Abby? Is everything okay?”_

_She was silent again, but he heard her take a deep, shaky breath this time. It was silent after that for a short moment, but she finally said, “Jake’s dead.”_

_Everything Marcus felt froze inside him. The world blurred and the phone felt like the weight of a million tons. That was certainly news he was **not** expecting. _

_He opened his mouth to respond, but nothing came out. How the hell was supposed to react to that news? Shock was the first real emotion he felt, with sadness seeping its way into his veins shortly behind it, unfreezing him along the way. He finally got out, “I am so sorry, Abby. Are you and Clarke okay?”_

_Abby was silent for a moment as he heard rustling on the other end. There was another deep breath and a shaky release. She didn’t say anything again after, but Marcus didn’t push her. He could only imagine the pain, shock, and emotional tornado she was in. Finally, she whispered, “I didn’t know who else to call.”_

_He wasn’t expecting **that** either. _

_His heart skipped a beat and began racing. The nerves prickled his skin and made his breathing quicker. He swallowed, lips suddenly dry. The phone felt even heavier as his hand began to shake. His mind began to feel like a go-kart course, racing a mile a minute. He tried to open his mouth and say one of the many things flying around in his mind but nothing came out. Stupid, stupid, **stupid.**_

_She was counting on him; he had to be there for her like before._

_And maybe that’s what made him so nervous. Abby hadn’t relied on him since that night she found out he lied about his test results. When her car broke down, she called her co-worker Jackson to help her instead of him; that’s how much trust she lost in him. Going from that to suddenly being the one turned to during a devastating event like this was a whiplash he wasn’t sure how to navigate._

_He felt he was silent for too long. He needed to say **something**. Anything! But nothing came from his mouth._

_Just say something! Don’t be something stupid like five years ago but **something**! He tried again and finally, “Where are you?” came out._

_He’s not sure why out of everything his mind thought up that was what came out, but it felt right after the initial shock. She sounded like she needed someone **there** , someone to hold her down to reality and keep her sane. She needed something familiar in the wake of the unknown future. And when she told him she was at the hospital, sitting outside at their old bench where he used to bring her lunch, he told her he’d be there in ten._

That day and the few days following for the funeral were the last Marcus had talked to her for another five years until now. He never checked up on her directly, as her family and close friends seemed to be the ones up for the job. That didn’t mean he didn’t show his support at all; every year on the anniversary of Jake’s death, he visited his grave and would leave a single flower beside the tombstone. If she knew it was him or not, he hoped the sudden appearance of that flower every year gave her comfort in knowing people haven’t forgotten about him and would continue to support her.

The Marcus who punched the deceased man would’ve never shown up at the funeral; he would’ve never offered to help her plan everything and bargain with the funeral directors on finances. He would’ve never attended the burial and watched from afar as Abby laid her husband to rest. He would’ve never stayed there till dark, waiting for her to be done as she sat beside the freshly buried grave and cried.

Taking those five years to turn his life around and be the person she needed in that time gave him a sense of fulfillment. It showed him his second chance was truly there, that it too wasn’t a mirage. When she thanked him for everything he had done, despite their history, he knew deep down his effort for change was not in vain. It let him know he was on the right path. And that path he continued the next five years.

Marcus looked from Abby to the photograph. He lowered it to be in front of his face, getting lost in the juxtaposition of the two scenarios. He could stand there all day and compare the two, but if he knew anything with their history, he wasn’t sure how long he’d actually have to chat with her and the next time (if there was one) he’d see her again. Lowering it completely and sliding it back into its familiar pocket, he cracked a small smile, answering, “I only remember to take it out when I’m here.”

Abby smiled a bit in response with a short chuckle which made Marcus’ heart flutter. He can’t remember the last time he made her smile at any sort of joke and it be met with genuine happiness. She looked to her daughter after, silence growing between them. It didn’t feel as heavy as it did after their divorce; it didn’t feel as damp as it did during the funeral. It felt thick but not with tension or awkwardness; it felt unknown.

Marcus tucked his hands in his pockets, fingers shuffling around. It was the automatic reaction he had 10 years ago when he used to think about her where he would reach for any airplane-bottle shot he could get to wipe her from his mind. Instead, utilizing his new reaction, his fingers fell across the photo and calmed his nerves. He looked over to her, asking, “How are you?”

Abby didn’t look back at him, but he saw the slight jaw clench. Such a simple question, but the weight the meaning held was deeper than either would explicitly say. Sighing, she finally said, “I’m doing okay.” He didn’t reply, just kept looking at her. Finally, she looked over to him, adding, “A lot better than I was years ago.”

Compared to how he left her five years ago, he would agree. He could still see the strain of it on her face and in her mannerisms after mentioning it, but he knew she was better. He always knew she would be; he knew how strong she was. He always admired her for that. He smiled in response, and nodded over to Clarke, “And how is she holding up?”

Abby’s smile turned a bit sad at that point and she looked to the ground. She kicked at a rock before looking back up to him. “She’s fine,” she answered, “but she asks about him a lot.”

“I bet,” Marcus replied, eyes turning towards Clarke. He recognized the young girl, Lexa, she was playing with. “Probably wants to know all about her dad.”

Abby smiled fondly this time as she also looked out to her daughter. She nodded and said, “Everything. She wants to know it all. Especially his art. She definitely got that gene from him. She’s always drawing something in her free time.”

Marcus smiled, imagining Jake teaching Clarke to draw the moment she was able to hold a pencil and grasp the concept of using it. Marcus didn’t know much about Jake besides the fact he was an engineer who also painted for charity. Marcus had seen one of his paintings hanging in the bar he used to frequent and always made sure to sit opposite of it so it could fuel his fire to drink.

Silence enveloped them again as they watched the two girls play with sticks, pretending to sword fight. As he watched them, his mind wandered back to his own fight in the bar 10 years ago. He doesn’t remember much of it but enough to know he got his ass handed to him. The way Clarke was backing Lexa up against the tree, Marcus made another connection she got from her father. While Clarke backed off her to end the duel and the girls erupted into giggles, Marcus’ fight ended with a mouth full of blood and handcuffs around his wrists.

Not his proudest moment—his biggest mistake right behind lying to Abby.

At that instance, his eyes shot over to Abby. She had a full grin now as she watched the two. The face he saw that night at the bar blended with the one she had now, and the contrast made him internally berate himself. These children were play fighting for fun while in real life as an adult, he had acted like a child initiating that fight. The aftermath was something he barely remembered, but he did remember apologizing to Abby in thin air as he sulked in his jail cell, as if she would ever hear it.

Cold realization washed over him at that instance. He tried to will that apology into existence that night he spent in jail; he avoided saying it during the funeral. During those 10 years, he never had the chance to apologize for creating the chaos at the bar. Now, he had the chance. Could he do it though?

She deserved it, as did Jake. It may help her, it may not affect her at all. He just knows, for the sake of the progress he’s made since that night, he owed it to both of them and himself to do what should’ve been done 10 years ago.

Coughing slightly to catch her attention, he looked down to his feet. Her eyes and head turned to him slightly, alerting him he had her attention. He sighed deeply before saying, “This is long overdue, and I’m sorry I have to do it in the first place.” Lifting his head to face her fully, he noticed he had gotten her full attention as she turned to face him too. “I never got the chance to say it to him, but I owe to you as well.”

Marcus watched as the realization dawned on her. He saw the same jaw clench from earlier as she locked eyes with him. He paused for a short moment, heart pounding. In his pocket, he held the picture tightly as he said, “I’m sorry for that night in the bar. All of it.”

Abby didn’t respond right away as they watched each other. Marcus saw the movie of that night playing in her mind. Finally, it seemed her eyes relocked on his as the memory faded, and she sighed slightly. It felt like a dagger straight into his heart. When he saw her open her mouth to respond, he prepared for her to twist the knife. Instead, she surprised him by replying with, “Yeah, that was pretty shitty of you to do.”

He blinked a couple times, the response not registering. He wasn’t sure if his mind made it up, as the response was one he would’ve expected from her before their fallout. He hadn’t heard her sarcasm in such a light tone in a long time. It felt like he was hearing a foreign language.

Smirking slightly as his baffled stated, she added on, “But I appreciate the apology. And I accept it.”

His heart skipped a beat, the words registering and lifting a weight off his shoulders. He watched her, seeing the smirk turn into a genuine smile. Her eyes held that same look he saw in them 10 years ago when he was dragged out of the bar—understanding.

She looked over to the waterfall, the smile sticking. He watched her, feeling as if she was the jury pardoning him of his past crimes. He was still overwhelmed with the fact she was here, and the fact she was talking with him, with a tone other than demeaning or disappointment, while also accepting his apology made it seem like a dream.

The wind blew by them, sending her ponytail and stray strands flowing behind her. The setting sun reflected off her necklace, which he noticed was Jake’s wedding band. His own smile appeared on his lips, taking it as a sign Jake was there, and that he too accepted Marcus’ apology.

Running her hand through the strands to get them out of her face, she said, “It took me awhile to get over that night. Jake forgave you before I did.” His heart skipped another beat. She forgave him as well? She looked back to him, the smile matching her eyes. “He understood the feelings you had to be going through to have both marriage and pregnancy news dropped on you, especially considering our history. He only fought back because he wasn’t sure how drunk you were and if you missed him, he was afraid you’d accidentally hit me. He forgave you that night in the urgent care.”

Marcus didn’t dare speak. He knew he would never hit Abby, and Jake knew that too, but after all that alcohol combined with blind fury and low bar lights, anything could have happened. One miss-swing or knocking something over could have hurt Abby, or worse, their child. Again, Jake had proved to be the better one for Abby that night, thinking two steps ahead while Marcus was stuck in the past.

The old Marcus would’ve felt resentment towards Jake and hated himself; the new Marcus was glad Abby had Jake in that moment in time to look after her.

She kept going, saying, “I may have understood that night why you reacted the way you did, but it took me a bit longer to forgive you. I couldn’t get past the disbelief at what I had seen you become. Even though I had lost vision of the man I was originally married to, that man in the bar was someone I didn’t recognize.”

Marcus broke eye contact and looked over to the waterfall. He was _so_ ashamed of the man became during that year. The fact she had to see it, and be a victim to his outrageous behavior made the hatred towards that man surge. But he was different now, she had to see that. Didn’t she?

“I was upset for weeks after that episode,” she told him. He still didn’t have the courage to look at her, so he stayed watching the sun hit off the waterfall, listening to her. “The stress I was in was causing me to be nauseous, and when I went for my regular check up on the baby, the doctor told me my stress was affecting my child.”

Marcus’ eyes closed at that moment. Disappointment washed over him. Not only had he physically hurt her husband, emotionally hurt her, but he indirectly affected their child. Stupid, stupid, **_stupid._** He deserved every punch he got that night.

“They told me I needed to find the source of my stress and solve it,” she said. “I didn’t want to admit it was what had unfolded at the bar, but Jake brought it to my attention, telling me that no matter how much I wanted to forget it and you, he knew I still cared for you.”

Another heart beat skip. Marcus kept his eyes closed as the unspoken question of, _“Did you?”_ rang out between them. She continued, “And as much as I hated to admit it, I did.” Another heart beat skip. “So, I went back to that bar, every night for a week to see if you were there.”

He looked over to her then, surprised. She _did_ still care for him, even with how bad he fucked up. Though the situation was fucked up for why, she went looking for him. She smiled a bit in response to his surprise. She said, “When I never saw you there, I asked the bartender if you had been in at all. He told me you hadn’t been there in five weeks, and the last time you were there, it was to tell him you needed to switch your life around.”

Marcus remembered that conversation well. He hadn’t shown back up the bar for a whole week after that incident. When he showed back up, Sinclair had asked him if he wanted his regular, but Marcus refused. He had time to think over what happened and the news he had gotten, and he decided he was going to try for that second chance at happiness. And if he could start anywhere, it was parting ways with the bar.

“I knew you would be hard to track down after that,” she continued, “but it was enough to give me the closure that you were working to better yourself. It gave me hope that maybe one day I’d see a reformed version man of that unrecognizable man but also just a happier man. With time after that, those negative feelings and stress faded until all that was left was that understanding.”

She made sure he was looking at her when she said the words he never thought he’d hear from her, “I forgive you.”

If the weight he loss earlier felt like a reliever, he felt like he was floating now. 10 years. 10 years he had held the guilt of the night on his shoulders. Every day, there was some reminder that never failed to try and crush him beneath that memory. The knowledge of knowing that resistance was now gone and he wouldn’t have to fight every day to not fall back into that slump gave him a peace of mind.

The two sat in silence, turning to look at the waterfall, the reality of their situation still settling. Marcus had not envisioned today going the way it did. It was supposed to be another normal day at the park. He had being coming here every Friday evening and not once did he ever catch her here. What were the chances he’d run into her here with—

“I am curious though,” Abby interrupted his thoughts, “as to what the solution was.”

Marcus’ whole train of thought came to a screeching halt as his head shot to look at her. The solution? He had never told Abby about the fact he had a solution.

Abby looked over to him, eyebrow raised. He couldn’t hide the dumbfound look that had spread across his features. She clarified, “The solution that you claimed was going to solve our problem.”

When had he told her about the solution? He tried raking his memories for any specific time or if it had slipped out during the bar night and he couldn’t just remember it, but he came up blank. He told her, “I never told you I had a solution.”

It was her turn to look dumbfounded as her eyebrow arched higher. She said, “Yes, you did.”

“When?” He hoped the confusion was evident enough in his mannerisms and voice to show he wasn’t lying.

“When you called me the night of the bar fight,” Abby explained. “You left me a voicemail from jail.”

He did _what?!_

His facial reaction must’ve changed from dumbfounded to surprise mixed with confusion because realization lit up her face. She said, “You probably don’t remember it with how wasted you were.”

He absolutely did not! She told him, “You used your one call to call me that night. I didn’t answer because I was at urgent care with Jake, but you left me a voicemail that I got when I got home.”

Marcus thought hard back to that night in his jail cell. It was the spottiest of his memory. He remembered more of his sulking on the lone bed and apologizing to Abby aloud. The other parts were broken up. He thought hard back to the beginning of when he arrived at the station.

Prompting him further, Abby said, “You said you didn’t know who else to call.”

It was like a part of him that was asleep for 10 years was suddenly awoken with an ice-water bucket dumped over him. The memory immediately flooded his mind.

_Marcus had missed the coin slot for the fifth time with the quarter the guards had provided him with. Annoyed with his drunkenness, the guard grabbed it off the floor and put it in for him. Not trusting him to put the right number in, the guard asked for the number he wanted to call._

_Who did he want to call? Who could he call?_

_He couldn’t call his mother, she was states away and he wasn’t some teenager caught underage drinking anymore. He couldn’t call his co-worker since he was out of town on business that Marcus hadn’t been invited to. His list of people to call wasn’t long, and he didn’t really want to see anyone with the state he was in._

_Annoyed, the guard pestered him to hurry up. Not wanting to piss more people off than he already did tonight, he rattled off the first phone number that came to his mind. The cop entered it in and gave the phone to Marcus to hold and walked off to stand by the desk to wait._

_Marcus couldn’t recall what number he drunkenly spewed out, but he waited as the phone rang. When no one answered, he frowned. When the voicemail message began, his whole body froze when he realized he had called Abby—one of the people’s nights he had ruined with his presence. And when the beep went off for the voicemail recording to start, he was silent._

_He stared at the phone booth, unable to gather the courage to begin talking. What could he even say? Ask her to pick him up like the time it was storming and he was adamant on riding his bike to the store? Ask her to clean him up like the time he about cut his finger off when he missed the wood he was cutting? She was probably tending to Jake’s wounds while she drove him home; Marcus wouldn’t get that treatment, nor did he deserve it._

_Flicking his eyes to the guard, Marcus saw his foot tapping. Taking it as a sign he would be cut off soon, Marcus looked down to his pocket and pulled out a single photograph and card out with his free hand. He set them down to rest against the phone booth and he took a deep breath. Letting it out slowly, he traced over the photograph, specifically Abby._

_“I didn’t know who else to call.” His fingers fell from the photograph. “I have no one else to call.”_

_His eyes flicked to the card next to the photograph. There was so much he never got to tell her. Lost in his racing thoughts and regret, he deafly began rambling, “I found it, Abby. I found the solution.” His fingers reached up to graze the card. “It was going to solve everything.”_

_His hand fell from the card as he closed his eyes and rested his head against the phone booth. “I’m so sorry, Abby. I am so so so **so** sorry. I left you in the dark when I said we were in it together, and I’m so fucking sorry.”_

_Opening his eyes, he tilted his head down and picked the card up. Starring at it, he continued on, “But I promise I found the solution that would have mended what I fucked up. I don’t blame you…I never could blame you for my mistakes.” His thumb slowly ran across the phone number on the card. “But I wanted to let you know I found it.”_

_“It’s nothing compared to what Jake has given you,” he admitted, tears threatening to spill over, “but it was something…something for us. It was our light in the dark; it was our hope.”_

_He set the card down, and he picked the photograph up. A sad smile crossed his features as he ended the call with, “I love you more than I ever thought I could love anyone.”_

_He hung up the phone, letting his hand slip off slowly as his thumb grazed over Abby at the same speed. When his hand fell back to his side, he gathered the card with the photograph and tucked them back into their home of his pocket. The guard came back to his side, asking, “No answer?”_

_Marcus shook his head, hand curling around the two items. He looked over to the door, as if waiting for her to burst through and save him. He couldn’t save their marriage and he couldn’t save himself, why would he expect her to save him, even from something as small as a night in jail?_

_Marcus looked back to the guard, telling him, “No one’s coming for me.”_

_The guard nodded and escorted him to his cell for the night. After he locked Marcus in, he walked away, leaving him all alone. Alone before and alone after. Forever alone. Not like he deserved anyone’s company anyways. He was better off alone._

_This way he couldn’t fuck up another person’s night._

Marcus wasn’t sure which is he was more embarrassed about: the fact he forget that event or what transpired in the event. Scratching at the back of his head, he said, “I am _so_ sorry for that. I didn’t recall any of that until now. Wow. That’s embarrassing as hell.”

Abby laughed, and Marcus watched the genuine happiness crinkle in her eyes. She waved him off, saying, “Don’t worry about it. It was an interesting end to that already interesting day. I know you probably can’t remember much of that day, but I remember everything. Looking back on it, that still wasn’t the craziest thing to happen that day.”

“Me punching your fiancé was probably the icing the on the cake, wasn’t it?”

Her smile turned fond, but she didn’t dignify that with a response. He was glad she didn’t outwardly confirm it. He already felt like shit for that night, her agreeing would only make it worse.

She shook her head, saying, “Sorry for laughing.”

It was his turn to wave her off as he shook his head. He looked back to the waterfall, saying, “If the reaction you have to me drunkenly spilling the beans on my biggest secret and admitting my true feelings is laughter, then that’s the least of my worries. My whole act that night, hell the whole year leading up to then, was a laughing stock.”

He saw Abby smile out of the corner of his eyes as she watched him. Silence fell over them as she looked back to the waterfall. Breaking it shortly, she asked, “So, what was the solution? Your biggest secret?”

Immediately, his pocket felt heavy. But the card hadn’t been in his pocket for a few years now. Not since he removed it to actually go through with it. Could he tell her? What it was and that he decided to proceed with it?

He looked to her and watched her watch the waterfall. He had left her hanging ten years ago with that phone call. It wasn’t like her knowing would affect their situation drastically, at least not on the level it would have years ago when they were married. Hell, it may win him back some points and help him show her that reformed man she hoped for.

Opening his mouth to reveal it, he stopped when he heard a little girl scream come out instead of his voice. Confused, he shut his mouth and the two looked behind him to follow the voice.

“DAD!”

The little girl, almost 10 years old with long black hair, ran up to Marcus and yanked on his pants. He looked down to her, raising an eyebrow at her. Before he could say anything, another small child, a boy the same exact age with freckles splattered across his face, ran up to stand next to the girl. He crossed his arms and told Marcus, “Don’t believe a word she says, Dad.”

He opened his mouth to retort the child but remembered they were not alone. Turning his head to look at Abby, he almost laughed at the flabbergasted look on her face. He could tell she definitely wasn’t expecting to see two little kids run up to him and call him dad. He smiled apologetically and told her, “Give me a minute.”

Turning back to the kids, he crouched down to be at their height. He looked between the twins and asked, “What happened?”

Octavia pouted and pointed at Bellamy, accusing him, “He dumped sand down my shirt!”

“Did not!” Bellamy refuted, smacking her hand away from him.

Marcus didn’t reply but examined Octavia’s shirt. At the hem of her collar, grains of sand stood out against the blue cloth. He looked to Bellamy with his infamous “dad look”, raising one eyebrow and asked, “Did you?”

Bellamy hesitated slightly, but jutted his chin out in the end and shook his head. Marcus’ eyebrow rose more and he reached forward to tug at the bottom of Octavia’s shirt. He asked his son, “So, if I were to check the inside of her shirt at the bottom, I wouldn’t find any sand?” Bellamy watched his father’s hand before looking up to his eyes. Marcus continued, “Because if I do find sand, then I’m taking your gaming system away until you save your allowance up to buy her another shirt.”

Bellamy’s eyes widened with fear. That did it. Threatening to take away his game system always managed to squeeze the truth out of him. Instead of admitting it, Bellamy said, “It was Murphy’s idea!”

Marcus laughed as he looked back to the sandbox the kids were playing in. Murphy was still sitting in it and looked over when he heard his name. He waved at Marcus who smiled and waved back. Looking back to Bellamy, Marcus told him, “Apologize to your sister.”

Bellamy pouted this time as Octavia smirked. He crossed his arms again as he looked to his younger twin, saying, “Sorry, O.” She smiled sweetly in response.

Laughing more, Marcus stood up while ruffing the young boy’s hair. Trying to swat his father’s hand away, Bellamy listened as Marcus said, “And because that can’t go unpunished, Octavia gets to choose the movie we watch tonight.”

Bellamy immediately protested, “But it’s my turn to choose!”

“Should have thought about that before you shoved sand down your sister’s shirt,” Marcus replied. When he saw Bellamy glaring at his sister, he added, “Keep the attitude up and you’ll lose your spot in the blanket fort as well.”

Bellamy’s mouth dropped open in response and Octavia broke out into a fit of giggles. He began to protest that but Marcus cut him off, letting his tone indicate he was messing with his son. “You can always earn both back by letting O shove sand down your shirt.”

Bellamy recognized his father’s tone and decided to stay silent, not wanting to carry the teasing on. Knowing he won, Marcus laughed more and ruffled both their hair, saying, “Now go back to playing. And be nice,” with a “dad look” to top it off.

Bellamy groaned as he tried fixing his hair again as Octavia giggled more. The two turned to walk back to the sandbox the same time Marcus turned to face Abby again, but not before he heard Octavia ask Bellamy, “Who is that lady Dad was talking to?”

Marcus stopped in his tracks mid turn, flickering his eyes to the twins. He saw Bellamy turn to look over his shoulder at Abby. Bellamy gave her a quick glance over before turning back to his sister and saying, “That’s the lady in the photo on the stand by Dad’s bed.”

Oh my God.

The sun was setting, why was it getting hotter? And why was Marcus feeling like his face got sunburnt? Knowing how red he was of embarrassment, he slowly finished turning back to Abby. He noticed she was watching his two children and Murphy play in the sandbox. Slowly she dragged her eyes from them to him, asking, “Those are your children?”

The disbelief in her voice was enough to drive his mind away from the embarrassing confession Bellamy accidently revealed. He looked back to the kids for a moment, figuring out how to word his response. Finding the words, he looked back to Abby, nodding and saying, “They were actually the solution.”

“What?”

He wanted to laugh, knowing the shock of the news had blanked her mind for a moment. He reminded her, “The solution I had found. My biggest secret.”

Realization dawned on Abby’s face. She turned her attention back to the kids. He could see all the questions beginning to form in her mind as the confusion began to etch its way into her eyebrows furrowing together. Beating her questions, he explained, “The solution I found was an adoption agency that had received newborn twins.”

She looked back to him, understanding blossoming across her features. He continued, “Jaha, the fertility doctor we saw, told me after my tests that the medical treatment options available had a low success rate for my condition. He told me adoption would be my best and most logical route.”

His hand entered his pocket, finger brushing up against the photograph, but not the card Jaha had given him with the agency’s phone number. He said, “Jaha is good friends with Cage Wallace, the man who runs the local adoption agency. That same day you found my test results was the same day Jaha called me with the news of the newborn twins brought in that morning. He gave me Cage’s number, and I wrote it down on his business card to bring home and share the news with you.”

A sad smile crossed his features at that point. He sighed, saying, “You beat me to revealing what I found. After that, I knew it was pointless to tell you about it, and so I never called Cage.”

Abby didn’t respond. She was struck silent in shock. The news settled in her mind as she looked over to the kids again. She asked, “When did you adopt them?”

He said, “I made the decision to adopt them about a week after the bar incident.” She was a bit surprised at the time line. He elaborated, “I called Cage and asked if they were still available, even though it had been a year and some since they were first brought in. They had a lot of takers at first, but they were always returned when people realized how hard it was raise twin newborns. They were one and half when I called.”

Abby seemed fascinated but also some weary remained in her eyes. She asked the obvious, “And he approved you, even with the state you were in?”

That hurt, but she wasn’t wrong. He smiled sadly, remembering how hesitant Cage was to approve him for consideration. Marcus told her, “He was very hesitant in considering me, but he called Jaha and got the story. He told me the process of the adoption, but he wouldn’t seriously consider me until I proved I changed for the better and that the two would have a good home.”

“How long did it take?” Marcus knew Abby wanted to know for the story sake and her own curiosity, considering she had searched him out a few weeks after the incident.

“Just over two months,” he told her. “I quit going to the bar like Sinclair told you, and I went to a center specialized in alcoholism. They helped wean me off alcohol, and eventually I became sober. Have been ever since and I never again touched a drip of that shit.”

He saw a proud smile cross her lips, confirming her hopes she had for him. It made his heart swell in pride as well. He was certainly proud of the change he made and he was happy to see she acknowledged it as well.

He continued, “I had to do a lot of self-reflecting outside of the bar and inside mentally. I picked up extra opportunities at work to make up for my slack, I volunteered at the local college to spread awareness on drug addiction, and I visited this spot many times to remind myself that everything I was doing was going to be worth it.”

He looked down to the ground, hand curling around the photograph in his pocket. He told her, “I came out here every day to make sure I reflected on my actions with the test results and the bar night. I needed to learn to accept that even if you weren’t with me, you were in a best place you could be. It took time, and in those two months, I finally accepted it and grew out of that jealousy I had been harboring.”

Abby was silent at first when he finished. He watched her, hand trembling as it gripped the picture. It was all true, something he should’ve been telling her since day one. The old Marcus died during those two months, and the new Marcus blossomed to take its place.

“I’m proud of you,” she suddenly said. Marcus’ heart skipped a beat as the reality of those words hit him. He knew he shouldn’t rely on her to feel any pride in what he’s accomplished, but he be a damned liar if he said he didn’t care what she thought. In the end, he would always care what she thought.

He smiled in response, not trusting himself to speak, afraid he’d break the moment. Instead, he settled for looking back to the kids play in the sandbox as he let the news soak in more for her.

As he watched them alongside her, what he said played back in his mind. His mind kept coming back to the test results he mentioned and how he reflected back on that decision. He had tried multiple times to apologize for lying to her about them, and he explained the reasoning why behind it many times, but she never listened to him then. He didn’t blame her, and while the old Marcus thought those apologies then were sincere, the new Marcus knew now he was just desperate to save their marriage.

Looking back to her, he found her watching him. He wondered what was going on in her head. Was she thinking about the tests results too? Was she analyzing him to see if he would apologize for that decision and showcase further the reformed man he said he had become?

He swallowed, collecting the thoughts in his head. He locked eye contact with her and said, “I’m sorry for lying about the test results. I know I gave you excuse after excuse for why I did it, and while those are the reasons I did it, none of them made it right. I said we were in it together, but I stranded you the moment you needed me the most. It was a selfish thing of me to do. I’m sorry, Abby.”

Abby seemed caught off guard by the apology. He saw the internal battle she was fighting. While the fight might’ve been easier to forgive, the incident of him lying about his test results was the powder keg to their downfall. This was a whole different ball game. She looked away but not before he saw the film of tears coat her eyes.

She was quiet for a minute as she watched the waterfall. She looked to her feet next, biting her lip. She sighed before looking up the sky. She told him, “That was also pretty shitty of you to do.” He let out a breathy chuckle as she looked over to him. “But the more I thought about that decision after that night in the bar with all the reasons you gave, I understood more. Over time, I saw it from your point of view. While I still don’t agree with your decision—I don’t think I ever will—I understood it.”

He didn’t blame her. He knew it was wrong, he knew it the moment he decided to lie. He would understand if she never forgave him for it, but just knowing she saw it from his view, while keeping her rightful distain about his choices, gave him some peace.

She smiled, and while it was there to hide the sadness in her eyes, he saw right through it. She told him, “I know you know that. And I know you know how wrong it was, and I appreciate you being able to recognize that and own up to it. It’s something I’ll never be able to forget, and while it was something I thought I would never be able to forgive you for, I surprised myself when I forgave you on the first anniversary of Jake’s death.”

More surprises Marcus was not prepared for today. Not only did she forgive for the night in the bar, she forgave him for the catalyst of their problems. He had accepted the fact it would probably never happen, and even though that fact caused him pain he could never escape, he told himself it was probably for the best. Flabbergasted, he asked, “What made you change your mind?”

Her smile twitched, it now no longer hiding the pain and sadness. She said, “After I had forgiven you for the bar incident, I found how relieving it was to not carry that hatred around with me 24/7. No matter how hard I tried though, I couldn’t get rid of that resentment from that memory. That was until Jake died.”

“I don’t even recall deciding to call you when I found out about the news,” she continued. “I just grabbed my phone and let my instinct call whoever it wanted. It happened to be you.”

He watched her closely, as this was the first time he had heard her open up about the time she found out Jake died. She said, “You didn’t hesitate to help me, no matter how bad I might’ve treated you after that lying incident, including the bar fight. You were right there by my side through it all, like those events had never happened. And for the first time, I felt what it was like to not have that resentment towards you. It was a nice reminder of what life was like before that controlled my life.”

He was silent, astonished slightly. While he had worked on himself those five years, he definitely still felt awkward going to her after the news of Jake’s death. He never let it show though—she already had enough to worry about. The old Marcus would’ve made it an issue, but the new Marcus knew the support she needed and gave it without hesitation.

“Then,” she continued, “on the day of the first year anniversary of his death, I noticed a random flower beside his grave. When I looked around, I saw a familiar leather jacket entering a familiar black car. Whether you felt obligated to do so or you did it out of free will, the sentiment struck home. That sentiment was something the Marcus I knew would do. Combining that with what I found out at the bar when I went back and how you acted during the funeral, I knew you had succeeded in changing your life. It only felt right I helped you finish that transition. I finally forgave you.”

Marcus was stunned silent. He never knew she had seen him leaving. He had always tried to be sneaky with approaching the grave, he even scouted it out for five minutes to make sure she or anyone else was not in close vicinity to catch him there.

He let a relieved smile grace his face and he completely let his guard down. Letting the appreciation shine in his eyes, he told her, “You have no idea how much that means to me. I would’ve understood if you never forgave me. I accepted that. But…the fact you still did after everything…”

Her smile matched his while her eyes spoke of the toll keeping that weight on her shoulders did to her. Nothing more had to be said—they both understood each other and were back on level ground with one another. While he was personally glad for her forgiveness, he was also glad it offered her peace.

They both were silent as they watched each other. The same understanding he saw in her eyes the night of the bar fight he recognized now. Ever since the night of their first argument, even with the progress he had made up till now, something always felt off. Now, it felt right.

“Don’t do it, Bellamy! You’ll lose your spot in the blanket fort!”

The moment was broken between the two as they both turned their attention to the sandboxes. Marcus caught Bellamy’s eye as the boy held a fist full of sand in the air, just above Octavia’s head. Marcus raised an eyebrow at this son, the “dad look” instantly coming to. Bellamy smiled innocently, moved his arm away from Octavia’s head and let the sand slip through his fingers back to the ground.

Marcus heard Abby laugh behind him at the scene, but he didn’t turn to watch her. She asked him, “How did the adoption itself go regarding those two?”

Marcus thought about his answer as he watched Clarke and Lexa approach the three in the sandbox. He heard Abby’s daughter ask if they wanted to join them for a game of tag. Octavia instantly jumped up and agreed. Murphy and Bellamy soon followed her lead and followed the two to a more open part of the park.

Looking back to Abby, Marcus laughed a little in memory of his first few weeks with the twins. Cage had warned him when he got approved that taking care of twins was going to be double the work, especially since he didn’t have any help in the form of a partner. He was determined though, to get that second chance for himself while also providing those two with the happiness they deserved.

Boy, Cage was _not_ wrong.

The kids tried to eat things Marcus would’ve never thought could fit in their mouths, but Bellamy always found a way to try. Octavia proved to like parkour when she climbed out of her crib, no matter how many roadblocks Marcus tried inventing. Marcus was also pretty sure he got free bread trims from them as they always grabbed and yanked on it when he cradled them.

And that was not even half of the shit he had to go through.

But, it was all worth it.

Every sleepless night, all the puke-stained shirts he obtained, and the hearing loss he acquired from their screams led him to that second chance. He knew it wasn’t going to be an easy path to that second chance, but he saw the light in the dark at the end of the tunnel when they both called him “Dad” for the first time. He felt hope when the twins would fall asleep on him while he watched TV on the couch. He felt complete when he signed the documents to officially adopt them.

He knew he made the right choice; he knew he succeeded in getting that second chance at happiness.

Smiling fondly at the memories, Marcus told her, “The story of getting those two is a long one.”

He noticed an old nervous tick Abby had come about as she began flicking her middle finger consistently. He watched it for a second before returning to meet her eyes. She finally blurted out, “What are the chances you’re free this Sunday?”

He blinked in surprise, the question ringing in his ears. She continued to surprise him today—first with forgiveness and now potentially asking to meet up outside of now. Once they would go their separate ways after today, he figured he would never hear from her again. He finally answered, “Chances are pretty good.”

She smiled, her finger flicking slowing to a stop. She told him, “I heard Indra has a special fall flavor coming out for her coffee line.” His heart began to beat faster, the reality of what was happening coming to. “You can tell me all about their adoption over a cup of it. She’ll give us a free sample since we invested in her business when she started. Does noon sound good?”

He just stared at her. Had you talked to the old Marcus and told him Abby would be inviting him to coffee, let alone to talk for hours on end and catch up, he would call you crazy. Hell, he might’ve even punched for thinking you were teasing him. The new Marcus was dumbfounded, but found it in himself to say, “Noon would be great.”

“Perfect,” she replied, turning her attention to the waterfall as if she didn’t just drop another bomb on him. His heart was racing immensely fast, but he told himself to calm down. It wasn’t like she had asked him out on a date, but the nerves he felt reminded him of the first time he asked her out.

He turned his focus to the sky like she did, admiring how it looked with the sun setting. The glisten of the orange against the waterfall and how it sparkled against the drops that hit off the water at the bottom helped calmed his nerves slightly. Suddenly, the photograph in his pocket felt heavier than it ever had.

Reaching in, he pulled it out and held it up the sky like he had before Abby had showed up. He noticed right away that the sunset in the photograph matched perfectly with the sunset they were seeing right now. Against all odds, even if that happiness in the photograph was a mirage, he somehow ended up right back in this spot with a new and reformed definition of happiness. He felt that happiness seep from him and into the proposal spot, giving it back the golden view he held of it, even if its shine was slightly different than before.

“Is that the photo you have on a stand by your bed?”

His cheeks soon resembled a redder version of the sunset they were watching. He thought maybe the surprise of him being called dad had caused her to miss Bellamy’s comment but of course not.

He nodded and said, “I have one in a frame on the night stand beside my bed, and I carry this version around me with everywhere I go. I’ve carried it every day since the divorce.” Abby looked at him a bit shocked but didn’t interrupt him. “I carried it as a reminder to myself of the failure I was. It used to cause me pain to look at it, knowing I had fucked up my one chance of happiness.”

He smiled fondly as the sun hit the photograph and glistened the sunset in the background. He said, “Now, I use it as motivation—motivation to be a good parent to those two. They were brought into my life for a reason; learning about them was a sign. They were my second chance at happiness. I use this image and the knowledge that this original happiness was fulfilled for you elsewhere for motivation to give them that same happiness they gave me.”

Looking over to Abby, his heart about melted at the look in her eyes. He could tell she was touched by his words, and she knew it was the truth. She didn’t have to say anything, the look of adoration and pride in her eyes told him enough.

**_*BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP*_ **

Both jumped at the sound of an alarm, the moment shattering. As Abby reached in her purse to pull her phone out, he took one last glance at the photograph before sliding it back into his pocket. He looked over to her as she read a message on her phone. Closing out of it, she slid it back in her purse, saying, “That was a reminder I set to make sure I get back home in time to get ready for the midnight shift in the ER. Clarke! It’s time to go, honey.”

Marcus watched her as she waved her daughter over. His heart was sad she was leaving, but he remembered he would be seeing her Sunday, and its pace picked right back up. When Clarke made it over to them, the twins also made their way to stand beside Marcus.

Clarke told her mom, “Mom, these are my new friends, Bellamy and Octavia! I told Octavia about the new art supplies you got me and she wants to try it out! Can she come over sometime this weekend so we can play with it?”

Abby laughed and ruffled her daughter’s hair slightly. She flicked her eyes to Marcus for a short moment along with a small smile. She replied, “Of course she can. We’ll figure that out at home though, okay? Mom has to get ready for work and you can tell me all about it while I do.”

Clarke grinned up to her mom and said, “Okay!” She looked over to the twins and told them, “I can’t wait! And don't worry Bellamy, you can come over too and meet my neighbor Lincoln! He has a MASSIVE dog that you’ll love to play with!”

Marcus and Abby laughed as Bellamy replied, “Maybe I’ll be able to convince my dad to finally get us a dog.”

Marcus laughed more in response and replied, “Only if you promise to pick up all the poop.”

Bellamy’s face twisted into disgust, drawing laughter out of the adults again. The two looked at each other, smiles big and most importantly, genuinely happy. Silence stretched between them as Abby searched for her car keys in her purse, and Marcus just continued to watch her. He didn’t mind it though. It wasn’t awkward nor was it damp. It held that thickness he noticed earlier, but it wasn’t unknown anymore. It developed into gratification.

“Do you still have my number?”

Marcus smirked slightly at the question. He answered, “If wasted me can remember it on a whim, then I know I’ll never forget it.”

She cracked a small smile back while not replying. Her eyes spoke for her while also hiding everything else she wanted to tell him but was saving for Sunday. She turned to walk away, waving with Clarke at him and the twins as they left. He watched her leave, the sunset hitting off her hair just perfectly to elicit an array of shades of brown. When he couldn’t see her anymore, he wondered if everything that happened was actually real or not.

Proving it real, Octavia asked, “Are we going to have to add another spot in the blanket fort?”

Chances are, if Sunday goes well, they may have to add two.

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you all feel a bit happier after reading this sequel !! Hopefully, it lived up to all the hype I gave teasing it for a month !
> 
> Who knows, there may be a blanket fort fic in the future....
> 
> SURPRISE COLLABORATION !!!!!!!
> 
> While I wrote this fic, mysticdragonstar decided to record a cover of the song this fic was inspired by! SHE KILLS IT!!!!! Please click the link to go watch it and get your ears blessed! If you're feeling brave, listen to it while reading the fic!!!
> 
> Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNOXOUll_6o&feature=youtu.be
> 
> All the love,  
> Lindsay :)


End file.
